Day 1: Who Needs Water?
Arriving in Yosemite
Maria and I woke up early in the morning on July 6th, ready to visit Yosemite for the first time. We caught the 7 AM bus and began our journey to the park down El Portal Road. As we approached, the mountains around us grew progressively steeper. Large granite rock faces replaced the forested slopes. Our hearts began racing with excitement as the views became more dramatic.
After the bus passed through a short tunnel formed by fallen boulders, we caught our first view of the valley.
“Holy SHIT… this isn’t real, right?” I said as I turned to Maria.
In the distance, we could see El Capitan (though I didn’t know the massive rock by name at the time). Towering pine trees loomed around the bus. Every time the trees parted, we caught glimpses of granite cliff faces – thousands of feet tall – towering on either side of us. The Merced River flowed majestically below the road as we rode deeper into the park. We were in Yosemite Valley, and I couldn’t believe it.
Ready(ish) for Yosemite Falls
We stepped out of the bus in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. 2,000 feet above us, water cascaded over the top of Yosemite Falls. Birdsong filled the air among the tall pine trees as we waded through a crowd of visitors. We began searching for directions to the Upper Yosemite Fall hike, our first objective of the trip. After reading some signs and getting vague directions, we found a park ranger and asked for further direction. She gave us the direction we needed, and then offered a critical warning:
We recommend that hikers completing the Upper Yosemite Falls hike bring at least 4 liters of water due to the heat.
Park Ranger at Yosemite National Park, 7/6/18
Maria and I glanced at our provisions. I held a 500 mL water bottle, and she held a 750 mL bottle. In total, we carried less than 20% of the amount of water that the ranger recommended. We shrugged at each other. We were young and fit: we’d be fine right?
After thanking the ranger, we spent 15 minutes searching for the trailhead for Upper Yosemite Fall. Eventually, a family of hikers showed us the way to the trail, and we began our hike at about 8:30 AM. It didn’t take long for us to realize that the hike was nothing like anything we’d attempted to conquer before. Our experience with hikes in the Midwest paled in comparison to the 2,700 feet of elevation gain we faced.
Not Your Average Midwestern Hike
The steep trail quickly rose above the valley floor. It wasn’t long before we passed the tree line and Half Dome appeared in the distance. The view made our jaws drop: it was unlike anything either of us had ever seen. We were in high spirits and great moods: how could we not be happy in one of the most beautiful places on Earth?
Despite our happiness, the ranger’s warning about the water reverberated in my head. I kept track of how much water we drank. I told myself to resist the urge to keep drinking, but the mid-morning heat exacerbated my thirst. Before long, we had drank half of our water.
An hour after starting the hike, we rounded a corner and discovered our first full view of the waterfall. The amount of water that flowed was only a trickle compared to the waterfall’s full potential, but it still impressed us. We snapped some photos, then continued on.
No More Water
We continued gaining elevation as the trail turned into a series of steep switchbacks. To this day, I have found few sets of switchbacks more taxing than those leading to the top of Yosemite Falls. For first-time Californian hikers, this was a struggle. Shortly after beginning the switchbacks, we drank the rest of our water. The top of the falls still sat 1,000 feet above our heads, so I began to worry. How on earth would we make it to the top and back without any water? I began hoping for a water refill station somewhere on the trail, not realizing how futile of a hope this was.
As an aside, it is incredibly rare for hiking trails – in national parks or elsewhere – to feature refill stations with potable water beyond the trailheads. Most people reading this probably already know this. Back then, however, my naïve self did not know this. So, hoping for a manmade water refill station was beyond futile and representative of my lack of experience (and logic). Anyway…
Angels in Hikers’ Bodies
We continued our trek up the trail without any water. The rising heat quickly parched our throats, and we considered drinking out of a couple of small streams that we passed. As we climbed the switchbacks, a pair of more experienced hikers caught up with us. We stopped to let them by, and as they passed we asked if potable water was available at the top of the hike. They looked a little bewildered at the question, but patiently told us “no.” When we informed them of our plight, they kindly offered to share some of their water with us. Maria and I were both quite thirsty at this point, so we eagerly accepted their offer. The hikers opened their packs, retrieved their hydration packs, and refilled our water bottles. We thanked them profusely before they continued up the trail.
The Top of Yosemite Falls
The extra water quenched our thirst long enough to reach the top of the hike, which we did at 11:30 AM. There, we found incredible views of the valley below and took plenty of photos. After taking in the sights, we found Yosemite Creek, the source of Yosemite Falls. Earlier in the year, the creek would have been dangerously high and powerful. When the falls flow at full force in the spring, anyone who steps in the creek can be swept away and dropped thousands of feet off the side of the cliff. However, visiting in July meant less snowmelt, a low water level, and gentle water flow. This allowed Maria and I to swim in the creek and – more importantly – fill our water bottles with the creek’s crystal clear water.
NEVER Drink Untreated Water
Another aside: it is not recommended to drink untreated water from natural sources. My future self would eventually learn the importance of water filters and purifiers, which can be used to safely consume water from streams, creeks, and rivers. However, Maria and I were desperate for water, and we figured that the water atop Yosemite Falls had a reasonable chance of being safe to drink. So, we rolled the dice and drank plentifully from Yosemite Creek. The water never made us sick, so the risk ended up paying off. It was a one-time decision, and part of the important lesson I learned about water guidelines that day. Anyway, back to the story…
Bathing in Yosemite Creek
In Yosemite Creek, Maria and I let the snow-fed water cool our bodies from the hot sun. We spent ample time exploring the creek, swimming, and eating the lunch that Maria packed. We talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other’s company after not having seen other for weeks. It was a perfect moment, and one of the most beautiful lunch spots that I can remember.
We began our return from Yosemite Creek shortly before 1 PM. Not wanting to chance dehydration, we refilled our water bottles in the creek once more. Since the return hike was completely downhill, we figured that our small amount of water would sustain us for our hike back down to the valley floor.
Return to Yosemite Valley
The return hike went smoothly. We took our time on the way down, taking in the views and interacting with some curious squirrels. We reached the valley floor by 3:30 PM, at which point we searched for a water fountain and some bathrooms.
Lower Yosemite Fall
Maria suggested that we check out the Lower Yosemite Fall viewpoint while we were in the area, so we found the trail nearby and spent some time at the lower fall.
From the Lower Yosemite Fall trailhead, we caught a shuttle back to the visitor center and then boarded the bus back to Cedar Lodge. At the motel, we stopped at the general store and bought 6 liters’ worth of Gatorade. These bottles would become our water containers for the remainder of the trip. We refused to be caught on the trail without enough water a second time.
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In hindsight, I wish we had listened to the park ranger’s warning that morning. I’m certain she gave us the warning after correctly judging our level of preparedness. She likely noticed our tennis shoes and lack of proper hiking clothes and warned us out of a genuine concern for our safety. We should have waited for the park’s store to open to buy water bottles or a hydration pack. The hikers that gave us their water on the trail were our heroes, and we were lucky to have been able to drink from Yosemite Creek. Thankfully, Maria and I both learned from our critical mistake, and neither of us have repeated it. If this had happened on a different trail in a different park, we may not have been so lucky. I’ve recounted this story to dozens of people in hopes that others learn from it.
Our first day in Yosemite was – mostly – a success.